Hi,

I need the text for a children's book written.  I'm producing these
books for my nieces for Christmas.  The title of the book should be "A
Tale of Two Kitties".  It would be about two cats one who lives in
England and one in France.  The story shoul be a witty satire on the
Dicken's Book and the end of the story should be about the look alike
kitty come back from its execution for the second of its nine lives.

I will illustrate the book, and the book should run about 20
paragraphs because it is for a three year old, and I will put one
paragraph on each page, with an illustration.  The aim is just to make
one or two copies of the books but if this book gets published, 50% of
the royalties will be paid to Google Answerer or commenter whosever
story is used.

---

Clarification of Question by socr2-ga on 03 Oct 2003 20:58 PDT

Thank you punzel-ga for making the very useful comment.  I have
another harmless idea I can use for the three year old which I will
post tomorrow.  I will instead give this book to her sister who is a
very mature five year old.  I will run the idea across her parents
whom I am seeing tomorrow evening just to make sure.  My initial
reason for using it with the three year old was because it was about
"kitties".

For the five year old, the satire would not have to come across to her
totally, but would be like the kind of slapstick farce of Rocky and
Bulwinkle Show or the Simpsons, half of the jokes of which are aimed
at the parents who sometimes watch the show and who would be reading
the book to the child.

The idea for the three year old will be about a pair of valuable
special socks used by an astronauts, that get separated in the wash
much to the chagrin of the astronaut, but get reunited by a down on
his luck homeless person when he rooting around in the sock bin of the
Salvation Army.  The socks would have been destined for recycling. 
The socks are returned to the Astronaut and in gratitude for his
discovery he is given the money to open his own consignment shop.

---

Clarification of Question by socr2-ga on 04 Oct 2003 11:44 PDT

Jem-ga, thanks so much for the license calarification.  I was not aware of it.

hi, socr2 ~ i admire your desire to write a book for your little
nieces, but as a mother and aunt i have a huge concern that the
subject matter is wholly inappropriate for children of the tender age
of three!!  you are asking for a story about kitties who DIE and not
just from some natural cause, but in an EXECUTION and, if written a'la
Dickens, presumably by guillotine...  Good grief.  This is not a topic
I'd want to broach to a 13-year old, much less a child of three.  In
addition, you wish a "satirical" rendition.  Let me tell you - satire
is lost on three-year olds.  At that young age, they cannot reliably
differentiate between reality and fantasy.  The concept of permanent
death, let alone resurrection and additional lives, is FAR far beyond
the comprehension level of children this young.  A tale of two kitties
as you propose would almost certainly guarantee nightmares and tears,
and potential emotional trauma.  I cannot fathom what illustrations
you propose to draw, but I get chills just imagining them.  I hope you
will reconsider the proposed "market" for your work.  If you still
feel it's even an appropriate subject, perhaps it could be marketed to
a much more mature audience?  At the very least, I would urge you to
speak with your nieces' parents about this proposed tale.  I cannot
imagine any parents I know who would want their little ones to be
exposed to this horror.

Hi socr2-ga

Lovely idea to write childrens' books for your nieces :)  I've also
noticed you've posted some further questions along the same lines.

Something you should probably be aware of it you're not already,
particularly re: your comments <<Question ID: 262526 - if this book
gets published, 50% of the royalties will be paid to Google Answerer
or commenter whosever story is used.>>; <<Question ID: 262658 - if I
am impressed with the results I may self publish copies and sell it a
Website with perhaps customization.>>, etc.:

You should check out Google's Terms of Service at:

http://answers.google.com/answers/termsofservice.html

which states, among other things;

"You may not sell, use, reproduce, modify, edit, translate, publish,
perform, display, post, transmit and distribute questions, comments or
answers for any public or commercial purpose without the written
permission of Google." and;

"Furthermore, Google shall have the perpetual, irrevocable,
non-exclusive right to use, reproduce, modify, edit, translate,
publish, perform, display, post, transmit and distribute ("Use") your
questions, comments, and/or the corresponding answers without
compensation to you, anonymously or in the aggregate, for internal or
external purposes, alone or as part of other works in any form, media,
or technology, whether now known or hereafter developed and to
sublicense such rights."

Kind regards
jem-ga :)